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Wet-tail facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
White Hamster
A hamster

Wet-tail is a serious sickness that mostly affects pet hamsters, but it can also happen to other small animals like rabbits, gerbils, rats, and mice. It's caused by a type of bacteria and often happens when an animal is feeling stressed. Even with medicine, an animal can get very sick quickly, sometimes within a day or two. Young hamsters, especially around four weeks old when they are being weaned (separated from their mothers), are more likely to get Wet-tail than older ones.

What Causes Wet-tail?

Wet-tail is caused by a specific type of bacteria called Lawsonia intracellularis that affects the animal's intestines. This sickness is often linked to stress. When a hamster is stressed, its body might not be as good at fighting off germs, making it easier for the bacteria to cause problems.

Things that can stress a hamster and lead to Wet-tail include:

  • Too much handling or being picked up often
  • Changes in its home or environment
  • A sudden change in what it eats
  • Not cleaning its cage often enough
  • Being separated from its mother or siblings
  • The death of another hamster it lived with

Signs of Wet-tail

It can take a few days for the signs of Wet-tail to show up. The most obvious sign is that the animal's tail looks wet and messy because of diarrhoea.

Other signs that a hamster might have Wet-tail are:

  • A bad smell coming from the animal
  • Loose or watery poop
  • Feeling very tired or having low energy
  • Not wanting to eat
  • Sleeping much more than usual
  • Walking with its back hunched over

How to Treat Wet-tail

If you think your pet has Wet-tail, it's important to act fast. You can buy special medicines for Wet-tail at pet shops. A vet (animal doctor) might also give your pet other medicines that are stronger.

It's very important to keep a sick animal in a separate cage by itself. This helps stop other pets from catching the disease, as Wet-tail can spread easily.

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